Workshop Submission Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in proposing a workshop for the Cochrane Colloquium 2026.

Workshops are an important part of the programme and provide space for practical learning, collaboration, and shared problem solving. We encourage interactive, skills based sessions that actively engage participants and support the development of a trusted, living evidence ecosystem.

Please read the guidance below carefully before submitting your proposal.

Key dates

  • Submission deadline: Extended to Sunday 22 March 2026, 23:59 (GMT)
  • Author notification: April 2026
  • Presenting author registration deadline (early bird): 11 May 2026

All facilitators of accepted workshops must register by the early bird deadline to confirm their place in the programme.

How to submit your proposal

You will be asked to create a personal account. All future communication about your submission will be sent to the registered author linked to this account.

Once logged in, you can:

  • Enter your contact details
  • Complete the online abstract form
  • Save your work as a draft and return later to edit
  • Submit your proposal when ready

You may submit your abstract at any time before the deadline. 

After submission, you will receive an automated confirmation email from workshops@cochrane.org. Occasionally our emails may be filtered by organisational firewalls or flagged as spam, so please check your junk or spam folders and add this address to your safe or approved senders list to ensure you receive all communications.

You do not need to register for the Colloquium before submitting an workshop proposal.

Please note that once your proposal has been submitted, it cannot be edited.

Before you start

Language – Only abstracts submitted in English will be considered.

Title – The title must not exceed 20 words and will appear in the Cochrane Colloquium 2026 programme and the abstract e-book which will be published on the Cochrane Library.

Word limit – Proposals must not exceed 350 words.

Proposal structure

Please structure your proposal using the following headings:

Background
Objectives
Description

Your proposal should clearly:

  • State the goals and learning outcomes
  • Describe the content and approach
  • Outline a structured agenda suitable for a 90 minute session
  • Explain how participants will actively engage

Formatting and submission requirements

  • Write abbreviated terms in full the first time they are used
  • Reference tables or figures clearly in the text (for example Table 1 or Figure 1)
  • Tables or figures may be uploaded as an image file (png, jpg, jpeg) or pdf
  • Do not include any personal data about specific individuals
  • You do not need to upload a PDF version of the proposal
  • All accepted workshops will be copy edited before publication

Designing an effective workshop

Successful workshops are interactive, practical, and participant focused.

We encourage you to:

  • Focus on clear learning outcomes and practical skills
  • Include hands on activities, discussion, or small group work
  • Share tools, methods, case studies, or examples of good practice
  • Address current and relevant issues for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and communities
  • Plan a structured session with strong facilitation to keep discussions focused and productive
  • Encourage networking through introductions or small group interaction
  • Prioritise engagement over slides or lecture style delivery

As a guide, in a 90-minute workshop, we advise minimising presentation time and maximising interaction.

If your workshop is part of a series, please clearly indicate this in your proposal.

Please note:

  • Proposals that primarily present research findings should be submitted as oral or poster abstracts
  • Sessions focused mainly on open or unstructured discussion may be better suited as meetings rather than workshops

Review and acceptance

All workshop proposals will be reviewed by the Workshop Committee based on:

  • Relevance to the Colloquium themes
  • Quality and clarity of the design
  • Level of participant engagement and interactivity
  • Practical value and learning outcomes
  • Overall contribution to the programme

Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent in April 2026.

Facilitator registration

All facilitators of accepted workshops are expected to register for and attend the Colloquium. The organisers reserve the right to withdraw workshops if registration is not completed by 11 May 2026.

Contact us

If you have any questions or require any assistance, please email us at workshops@cochrane.org

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR WORKSHOP PROPOSAL